The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of almond tree, Prunus dulcis, which will hereinafter be denominated varietally as `Durango`, and more particularly to an almond which produces fruit mature for commercial harvesting, hulling and shipment during the fourth week of August to the first week of September in the Orland area of the Sacramento Valley and which is further distinguished as to novelty by producing a soft-shelled almond; the kernel having a flavor characteristic that is excellent compared to `Peerless` and similar to `Carmel` with a high percentage of the kernels free of doubles.
There are a number of criteria at which a commercial variety of tree fruit and nuts must excel in order to be a success in the commercial market. Among these are ripening date, flavor, texture and shipping quality. With tree fruits and nuts such as almonds the early ripening date, the quality of the meat of the kernel, freedom from an unusual number of doubles, and more particularly, a soft shell makes this new almond commercially attractive and thereby appealing to the distributor and the consumer; thus providing a substantial likelihood of success.
Almond varieties are characterized as to soft shell or hard shell; the latter characteristic makes nut (kernel) removal difficult and hard to market because of the nature of the shell, i.e., it is difficult to crack. In addition, the variations in maturity dates vary considerably--approximately six weeks--thereby providing long harvesting, hulling, and shipping seasons. Most particularly in almond varieties of tree fruits the ease of shelling and the high quality of the kernel plus a very low percentage of doubles provides an excellent appeal to the distributor and consumer.